Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-03-04
GUILLOTIAIAG A WOMAN.

mother, whom she considered a
burden on her. She took every
precaution to insure the success of
the murder. She first saturated
the old woman's clothing with oil,
then set fire to her, and held her
down with a long stick while the
decrepit old creature was roasting
70 death. The old woman cried
piteously for mercy, but the heart
less daughter held her down till
she was burned to a crisp. And
then, to crown murder with Las
phemy, she placed lighted candle
before the statue Of the Virgin, as
an act of thanksgiving, tor the
successful issue Of the murder OF
her mother. The inhabitants OF the
town, Ramortin, in which the crime
took place were thrown into a state
of unspeakable excitement. The
authorities had much difficulty to
prevent the people from mobbing
the prison and lynching the pris-
oner. A speedy trial-and trials
in France are always speedy-alone
satisfied the pOpulace. The wo.
man was promptly condemned TO
death.
The French, as IS known, are re-
pugnant to the death sentence, and
French juries come in for much
ridicule, apropos of "extenuating
circumstances.p Bat, In this case,
the trial was over before other
trials would have been begun.-
Filial love in France is one of the
strongest characteristics of the
peasantry, and any one who abuses
a parent is relentIessly tabooed
from society.
In the present instance the re-
pugnance OF the people IN regard to
the execution OF a woman was
overcome by the atrocity Of the
crime, and President Grevy, who
is opposed to capital punishment
on principle, and who sends nine
out of ten murderers to New
| Caledonia instead of to NJ. Deibler's
ma chine signed the death warrant
with out question.
Whhn the arrival of NJ. Deibler
became known to the people Of the
town. the evening before the exc
cution, there was general rejoicing
The people remained up all night
| to witness the execution in the
morning. Most of them were on
the ground ou tslde the prison as
early az midnight. When about .
o'clock in the morning, the tumbrll
or cart appeared bearing the mur-
deress to the place Of execution the
assembled multitude sent up a
loyous shout. The distance from
the Jail to the execution ground
was long, bnt the entire popnlace
of the town followed the death
cortege. All along the way the
people hooted and jeered, the wo,
men especially, and pressed at
times 80 threateningly around the
vehicle that the gendarmes had to
draw their weapons.
On arriving at the fatal spot a
dead silence fell on the multitude
| The woman was ordered to descend
from the vehicle, but she did not
respond to the summons. She had
tainted. The officers removed her
and carried her to the guillotlne,
which was grimly standing In the
morning light. On her way she
recovered her senses and screamed
and resisted. She was promptly
placed on the fatal instrument,
with her head thrust through the
| bascule. Her screams were drown.
ed by the shouts of the assembled
people. They crushed around the
| instrument despite the efforts OF
| the cendarmes to keep them back
| Mothers held up their babies and
| men held up their little boys at
arms length to let them witness
| the execution of the murderess,
that they might remember the
lesson for life.
M. Deibler, who IS q humane
man, as far as such may be said OF
an executioner, did not prolong the
scene. He touched the "buttOn"
while the cnlprit was screaming
and the assembled people shouting.
The head dropped Into the basket
the body was thrown, with the
| discovered head, into wagon, ana
| hurried off to the cemetery. The
attendants of NJ. Deibler washed
| the blood from the stones and ma
chire with their sponges, and the
immense crowd returned home
satisfied that justice had been
meted out to the unnatural daugh-
ter who had so cruelty murdered
her AGED mother. 1t is seldom
such a ghastl, scene il witnessed
IN France.
Fire 10 a Virginia Town.
PRINCESS ANNE, Md, Feb. %